Over Accommodating for Poor Reviews

[Dreya0]

First let me start off by saying I absolutely hate how much value and power Airbnb gives to our guests. Including reviews, refunds, and whatever else. Guests take advantage of this service like no other. Ask for accommodations they know are not possible at any hotel or motel. Airbnb puts so much emphasis on reviews you are afraid to say no. So in hopes of getting a decent review you over accommodate even when it may make you feel uncomfortable or add extra work. Here's some personal stories as a host(I have a shared space): 

Guest 1 - Wakes me up at 2am to ask for a lint roller that was in the room in plain sight. I graciously act like being awoken from my sleep is no problem at all. Next day I get a 3 star review because guest didn't like the rug in the room. I am not making this up guys it gets better.

Guest 2 - Books room at 9am and wants to check in right away when my normal check in time is after 4pm and I already have a guest not required to check out until 10 am. Then I use the bracket of time in between to get the room prepared for my next guest. So I tell this Guest the earliest I can do is 2pm. He insists on 12pm. I reiterate 2pm if earlier I will let him know. He agrees. At 1:15 he tells me he is already here. The room was just finished so I said okay that is fine. Two days later 3 star review with check in being his major issue. Ha! All that and they still screw you. 

Guest 3 - Asks to leave luggage after scheduled check out time to return later to retrieve. Guest takes keys when asked not to but comes back 30mins before my next guest arrives. To not only get his luggage but shower again and get changed. Then nonchalantly asked for recommendations for the best local restaurant. Next day 4 star review with communication being the issue.

Guys I am a host in Springfield MA our market is low and the city here is pretty boring most of the guests are here for all the major hospitals locally, colleges, weed dispensaries, and the new casino. We can't charge more than 40bucks with 20bucks being the lowest charged and 60bucks being the highest but that host calendar is always empty. Anyway. No where else in this area does room and board cost so low. Our guests are getting access to toiletries, TV, pools, balcony views, shared kitchens. You name it at the cheapest price possible and they still even with all your accommodations find a reason to screw you over with reviews. 

This hosting experience for me has been so-so. Some amazing guests some terrible. Ironically my best guests and best reviews are from guests that need nothing extra, are quiet, and clean. Ha! Irony indeed. Anyway, this experience has been so stressful I can only host every two months. Income is decent but the stress isn't worth it. Anyone else feel how I feel? Can anyone relate? Let's be here for one another... I could use advice on how to make my experience better as a host.

Thank you for reading my post fellow hosts. Much Love and Much Respect. 

[Robin4]

@Dreya0  

Dreya, I had this conversation with someone else the other day  about guests getting all the smooth breaks in the review process, and the talk got around to ....

"Why can we see hosts star ratings and yet we can't see guests"?

I hadn't thought about it for a while Dreya, but, seeing as she asked I felt it needed an answer. This is the way I explained it to her.....

"As far as Airbnb are concerned, with the dispensing of knowledge comes problems….the more guests and hosts know about each other the more problems it creates for Airbnb.

Airbnb used to show not just the guests overall star rating but their category star ratings as well. I remember, I used to consult them frequently over a request.......but Airbnb removed that information because they thought, knowing star ratings could lead to more booking request declines by hosts of guests who had less than a 'high 5' !

They then bought in Instant book so the host could not vet the guest prior to a booking being made. A host could set a couple of broad filters but that was it.....no specific information.  If the date was open, the guest could book. The transaction was done before the host even knew the guest existed. For that reason many hosts disabled IB.

Now they have removed the profile photo and verification details of a guest until a booking is in place. A host has to accept a booking from a greyed silhouette and a first name, with next to no other information whatsoever. Airbnb are of course telling us, it is in line with community standards and is designed to fight against racial discrimination.

That is the last reason behind it.

The guest can see the hosts photo and details, read all about the hosts indiocyncracies  and make a racial/religious/gender based decision to proceed with placing a booking...... and they do that with Airbnb’s blessing!

Discrimination is a one way street where Airbnb are concerned! It doesn’t exist in the guest community, it only exists in the hosting community!

The ENTIRE reason behind it is to stop hosts declining reservations that they do not feel comfortable with. It is entirely money driven……….Airbnb wants that booking fee before any other considerations, and deliberately makes the entire booking process for the host as anonymous as possible.

The major problem is, the company thinks we are dumb, they can tell us how good we are, chat to us through a camera from a comfy chair and tell us to just keep drinking the Koolaid!"

I wish she hadn't  brought that topic up Dreya, because it just annoyed me all over again! But you are right Dreya, we have become weak and compliant simply to get that reasonable review......it's not a matter of honesty...its a matter of survival!

@Branka-and-Silvia0  @Sarah977  @Anonymous 

Cheers......Rob

[Anonymous]

@Robin4   

"Discrimination is a one way street where Airbnb are concerned!"

But of course it is,that's not really an Airbnb thing. From a legal and logical standpoint, it is absolutely a one-way street. The relationship between the service provider and customer is not symmetrical by nature, and this is no exception. Many kinds of laws exist to preclude businesses and institutions from practicing some forms of discrimination, but of course there is no such thing as a regulation against a customer using the same forms of prejudice to decide where to spend their money. 

It's funny to think how that would work. Customer walks into a bar, decides to turn around and leave when they realize it's a gay bar, then gets hauled off to jail for not ordering a drink?

[Dreya0]

Definitely a matter of survival in such a low demanding market. My space is like the "most lenient and available" space in this area. Financially it has paid off but mentally and emotionally I am tired of the toll it has taken. & Thr thought of having to be slick or sly to deny a request does indeed shake my soul. It's simply not who I am. But I have thought if I offer great amenities and have a great space and be the best host it will pay off. But it doesn't most times. & What is supposed to be a stress free side hustle turns into constant listing removal threats that I have to have 4.7 and can only cancel one time a year. I feel like guests have no obligations. I had a guest ask for a refund after her stay because she didn't like the bathroom. It took me over a week to fight it. Where else in this industry can you do such a thing. I don't know guys. Just don't know. 

[Helen3]

The thing is @Dreya0 

Guests only can behave like this if you let them.

1, Why are you letting your guests wake you up at 2 a.m. for something as silly as a lint roller. Lock your door and remind guests they should only wake you during the night if there is an emergency

2. Why did you offer to let this guest check in early??? If your check in time on the listing doesn't work for them - tell them to find another listing. When the guest turned up earlier you could have directed him to a neaby cafe.

3. Direct guests to left luggage facilities in your area. Never let them walk off with your keys post check out. And I am gobsmacked you let the guest have a shower and get changed once they had checked out

I am afraid guests will only behave like this if you let them as you have seen accepting guests like this is always like to lead to a poor review.

 I wonder what sort of measures you have in place to vet your guests to ensure a good fit?

I do hope you left honest reviews for these guests so that other hosts were warned?

[Dreya0]

@Helen3 I am a lover of tough love so your questions are fair. I will do better. I have to for my sanity  

[Suzanne302]

@Dreya0 Don't give up! The advice from @Sarah977  and @Anonymous  is spot on!

I try to super serve my guests and accommodate their requests in any way I can, but I am not afraid to set boundaries. It took me awhile to get to this point because I'm very non-confrontational. Every now and then I slip up and find myself shaking my head wondering "Why did I agree to that request?!" but for the most part, with time, it's become easier to say, "NO."

Sounds like you've had some extra crazy guests. Practice saying NO and there is no need to give a guest an explanation of WHY. For example with an early check-in request all that really needs to be said is, "Unfortunately the earliest you'll be able to check-in is 2pm." Period. If you get pushback, just keep repeating it. If a guest shows up early, deny entry.

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Dreya0 All too often when you have no pre-defined plan you 'accomodate'. That 'accomodate' translates to thinking on your feet and if you're not fast or have experience you can easily be taken advantage of.

I would advocate using your experience now to avoid the same situations again. It's very simple. You add a charge to your House Rules for the things you would normally accomodate.

If you add a charge for Early Check-in and Late Check-out and for holding luggage, the chances are guests won't even ask for them.

I would disagree with @Robin4, I don't think any host should look on letting out their homes as some sort of 'survival' task although at times it does seem like theres a Love-Hate relationship between Airbnb and Hosts, instead I would try to evade the survival issues ever arising with a clear plan all written down to refer to. Nobody will ever forsee a guest not liking a rug, but it can be averted. The 'add-on' cleaning fee mentioned by @Robin4 and @Suzanne302 I would agree with and you might increase that since guests, after deciding to book your space will be less inclined to revert back to search because of a cleaning fee. This is how the world rolls... Car Hire Insurance add-ons, Going 'Large', speedy boarding, hold luggage...

You mention that you are in a competitive area - I would try to 'up' my game and charge more. This will reduce the bottom feeders and hopefully get you nicer guests. Start by looking at your listing and make it more desireable. Your main photo of your bed is upright and doesn't fit well on the advert, change it for a glorious outside view taken on a great day. Lead with your best assets. Reshoot the bed horizontal. Shoot the kitchen in daylight... try to capture more atmosphere in your space as you already have all the ingredients. If you can't do this yourself, try asking a friend. You have a lovely apartment, I think you could do more to promote it. If you raise expectations of your space then you may raise the quality of your guests.

If you show the rug in your listing - how can any guest justify not liking it if they saw it and chose your place?

I've spent quite a time looking at listings recently for a variety of reasons and the ones which command attention are the ones with great photos, and thats before price.

With you mentioning you're in the capture area of a major hospital might you not be better finding a more long term rental to nurses?  @Anonymous  seems to favour this type of letting for its greater convenience and you have a ready market there.

After all that, you will just be faced with the universl problem that guests just don't read. I have 'No Pets' plastered everywhere. I get booking enquiries asking "Do you accept pets?" !!!

[Dreya0]

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 Wow! Well you definitely just gave me tons of vital tips. I will work on my photos right away. Also I get all types of guests not only nurses. But I do love my long term nurse stays. This is alot but I truly needed the feedback. I have also increased my pricing just slightly higher than my competitors and so far have noticed my weekend guests are better. Everything is trial and error. I am happy to have all this amazing feedback. 

[Dreya0]

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 I also didn't know I could add those charges but I am surely on it. I have in one of my automatic messages included my strict contact hours. As far as odd accommodations I am just going to practice a polite no. I rather say no and get a poor review then say yes and still get one. I do hope in the near future when I purchase my home to remove myself entirely from my space. I feel then I would surely have  better experience. I have a few friends that do this but no one is in home. 

[Mark116]

@Dreya0  I can't believe someone was so rude to take a shower after check-out!  My god, what is wrong with people?  I agree w/other posters that you should try to set some boundaries, like putting in a 'quiet time' over night..you could even turn the lint roller incident into a 'story' to tell your guests about please not waking you up unless it's a real emergency, maybe?   I think the bed looks lovely!  You might try redoing the shots of the kitchen to be a little brighter, but I have found that I prefer the photos to be a little less glamourous and then when people arrive they are pleasantly surprised w/the apartment.  

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Dreya0 @Mark116 

I don't advocate misrepresentation of accomodation, merely portraying it well instead of badly. Badly does'nt get bookings, especially in a crowded marketplace where every other host is portraying better.

Two days ago I was speaking to a fellow photographer who was doing a 'test shoot' for a property company. He recounted " The place was fantastic, she only needed to rewire part, plaster part, redecorate and clean the floors up, she paid the best tradespeople at over £200 a day each... it took almost 3 months to turn it around and it looks great". The test shoot? Oh, that was for free. And he was chasing doing this kind of work for £150 when his normal rate (for discerning clients is £900). If anybody thinks presenting any investment doesn't justify portraying it well, then there's some deep rooted insecurity nagging away somewhere and what you put upfront is worth 10 fold the paint on the bathroom ceiling and not even worth getting your mobile phone out for.

[Mark116]

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0  Having stayed at an airbnb where the photos made the place look fabulous due to lighting and wide angle shots and then being disappointed that the place itself was dingy, I prefer to err on the side of less glamourous photos so no one is disappointed in the space itself.  Too many airbnbs have wide angle shots, lightened shots so everything looks super bright but this isn't the reality that the guest experiences.  There is a happy medium between good photography and photography that is 'too good' and presents an unrealistic, even if technically accurate picture. 

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Mark116 

Having stayed at an airbnb where the photos made the place look fabulous due to lighting and wide angle shots and then being disappointed that the place itself was dingy, 

Yeah, I'm not so keen on that sort of treatment but it is the one Airbnb promote in order to allow photographers with only a camera and tripod and no lighting the chance of turning out a decent image at low cost.

I'm all for technically accurate. Technically accurate means the guest has nothing to complain about.

[Ann72]

@Anonymous @Robin4  I recently stopped one-night stays for my listings.  In one listing, the one-night stays never resulted in a review.  In the largest listing, the one-night stays seem to attract groups of young people who can just about afford it when they pool their money.  They haven't been terrible, except one group ruined a coffee table and stole all my monogrammed pencils (kind of funny, that).  They were really sweet and left a wonderful review, but because they were barely out of college they didn't realize that leaving half-empty beer bottles on a wooden table all night would make permanent rings.  So I concluded that the one-nighters cost more wear-and-tear than I liked.  I'll see how the three-night minimum works out.